Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-06-03

French engineer, under instruc-
tious from President Washington
i'm the summer of 1890, made a
reconnaissance of the gracefully un-
dulating lands IN the forks Of the
Potomac and the Anacostia as the
site Of the proposed seat Of govern
ment. he pointed ont on bis rude
field sketch a conspicuouseminence,
then called Jenkins hill, as the
most proper site for 1.-the federal
house where congress should meet"
Three years later Washington laid
the corner stone Of the original
edifce. which is now little more
than the foundation for the beauti-
fully proportioned iron dome tower
ing over the baluStraded marble
walls and Coriuthian pOrticoes
which to day inclose the four acres
of frescoed and giidcd anterooms,
corridors. committee rooms, and
great halls occupied by the busi-
ness of legislation.
TIE pure white marble walls and
surmounting balustrade, with pedes-
tails for statues IN the future, which
have Supplanted the primiIived
turfed slopes OF the terraces on the
north and south sides Of the edi-
fee, have been finished. The west
EN- portion from the angles to the
grand staircase Is nearly so, which
leaves nothing to consumate this
imposing piece Of architectural
beauty and solidity but the grand
staircase itself. This Will be far
toward completion before the close
Of the present working season.
NEARLY a CENTURY.
Though but five years less than
century have elapsed since the
corner stone Of the presidents
house, the first of the public build
ings in the federal city, was LAID,
Washington, the capital of the
United States, can boast of the
loftiest structure eXtant reared by
man in the marble Obelisk to the
memory OF "The Father OF His
Country 1t has the largest and
the finest legislative and govern
ment buildings on the globe. It
has more equestrian statues and as
rule of equal merit than all the
other capitals of the world com
biued, and its open air and in door
statues, number upward of a hun
dred. Its national museum are the
greatest and finest in the ecOnOml-
cal, chronological, and medical affairs
of mankind Of any in existence
Its new library building will eclipse
in beauty all structures Of the kind
now in existence. Its new Observa-
tory will surpaSS all others. The
extension Of its water supply will
exceed the great aqueducts of
Rome The latest triumph in the
world Of wonders Of the American
capital will be this grand staircase.
Nothing of equal magnitude can
be found in the great capitals
which date back to the infancy OF
nations. The grand terrace at
Dresden, the famous gardens Of
Italy. the staircase Of Sans Souci
at Pottsdam, the vatican at Rome,
or the terrace and staircase at
Central park, New York, do not
even approach it in dimensions,
architectural symmetry, and elabo.
ration of detail and finish.
Some idea Of the grandeur Of
this work may he formed by a
reference to its dimensions. The
north terrace, OF Maryland, and
south terrace, of Massachusetts,
white marbles, and each 304 feet in
length and 20 feet high, each
terminatingon the east in a massive
marble block and paved approach
TO the port cOcheres respectively OF
the senate and house porticoes of
the eastern facade of the CAPITOL
The terrace walls are capped with
a beautiful marble balustrade and
rail, with bookings serving at in
tervals for superb bronze lamp
posts and pedestals for statues, OF
winch there would be ten on each
side. The walls OF the western ter
race and grand staircase are 9lS
feet in length or aggregating a rich
~ paved way over 1890 feet long
extending at the base of the lofty
Corinthian porticoes of tho north
ern, western, and southern 'front.'
of the vast structure. Highly pol
ished Aberdeen granite parrerre
break the terrace platform int
Z two levels.
THE GRAND STAIRCASE.
The grand staircase projects IL
b feet and consists of 4 double fight
t Of steps Il and As feet wide, with
n landings. The distance betwee
the TWO fights of steps is l2o feet
At the foot of the staircase, facin